Article by
Barbados Today

Published on
May 4, 2015

GEORGETOWN –– President Donald Ramotar yesterday promised West Berbicians a more modern society, where better jobs would be created for young people and a “new kind of infrastructural development” would take place once his party was re-elected on May 11.

He made the comments while addressing a gathering of around 15,000 at a rally at Bath Settlement, West Coast Berbice, Region Five (Mahaica-Berbice). He said Guyana was soon to become a country which no one wanted to leave, as its economy continued to grow. However, in order for this to be done, a new kind of infrastructural development must take place, Ramotar noted.

President Donald Ramotar as he delivered his speech to residents at a rally at Bath Settlement, West Coast Berbice, Region Five.

He said the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) was aiming at building a strong and modern economy with all modern facilities available, and Guyana would once again become the most developed country in the Caribbean.

Among some of the developmental plans for Berbice is a deep water harbour to be established in Region Five. This, the president said, would be tied to the road to Lethem which would connect Guyana and Brazil.

“This is how Guyana will become an economic hub for the whole Caribbean.”

Ramotar noted that his administration was pushing to develop the agricultural sector, unlike previous administrations.

“Under the PNC administration there were only 11,000 acres under cultivation. We now have over 100,000 acres under cultivation.”

Meanwhile, a free economic zone is to be created in Berbice where jobs will be created for the people of Region Five and Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne). Cash crop farmers, Ramotar added, were going to benefit tremendously from the deep water harbour as they would be able to export their produce easily and directly to North America resulting in its reaching its destination fresh.

Apart from the deep water harbour, there was also to be a new airport which would assist in exporting produce in a timely manner. This, the president said, was also needed to develop the tourism sector.

“The BBC said that people should try to come at least once in their lives to Guyana and we have to put systems and structures in place to ensure we realize that dream.”Ramotar said his administration was also focusing on the physical infrastructure. “Comrades, we have improved the roadwork tremendously. You can now move very easily to Georgetown with your product, and . . . where there is traffic congestion we have built wider roads so you can move faster and safer to your destination.”

These are just some of the plans government has for the next five years. However, Ramotar warned that Government faced the danger of not being able to implement those developmental plans as a result of the machinations of the joint opposition.

“We have to stop them at these elections because they have shown what they want to do. They don’t want to pass the Anti-Money Laundering And Countering The Financing of Terrorism Bill –– the bill that is designed to fight against organized crime in our country. The bill will make Guyana’s laws hostile against the criminals. But we must not be surprised about that . . . ,” the president said.

The head of state said that his administration had already started investing in the country’s human resources. Under the previous administration, Ramotar said, only 30 per cent of the country’s children attended secondary school, while today under the PPP/C administration more than 90 per cent of the country’s children can go to secondary school.

“Very soon, every single child will be able to attend secondary school,” Ramotar boasted.